Apparatus for making sheet glass



Aug. 9, 1927.

J. H. FOX

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEET GLASS Filed March 18. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet l I 1 o h :IM d a o //1 o N OOOQOOOO Au 9192?, I y g J. H. FOX

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEET GLASS Filed March 18, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet z Aug. 9, 1927.

J. H. FOX

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEET GLASS Filed March 18. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 638 728 Aug. 99 J. H- FOX 9 APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEET GLASS Filed March 18. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR JOHN H. FOX, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING- SHEET GLASS.

Application filed March 18, 1926. Serial No. 95,590.

The invention relates to an apparatus for making sheet glass in ribbon form by a combined pouring and rolling operation. The molten glass may be supplied to the rolling apparatus by ladling it from a melting tank,

which latter is caused to revolve carrying the glass between the two rolls. The invention has for its principal objects; the provision of an improved arrangement of the rolls; and the provision of improved means for positively maintaining the opposing surfaces of the rolls at a constant distance apart as the rolling progresses, so as to produce a sheet of uniform thickness throughout its length regardless of any deformation or warping of the large roll from truly cylindrical shape, such as usually occurs in the course of time, and incident to the wide variation in temperature in different segments of the roll under the action of the molten glass. Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a section on the hue II of Fig. 5. Fig. 2 is a plan view on a reduced scale. Fig. 3 is a section on the line III'--I II of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isa section on the line IVIV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view. And Fig. 6 is a section through a modified construction.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the casting roll mounted for rotation on the axle 2, and

3 is a sizing roll for producing the desired thickness in the sheet 4, which passes through the roller leer 5 and is annealed. The roll 1 comprises a shell portion bolted to the spider 6 and preferably seated in a pit 7 containing a body of water for cooling the roll. This cooling ma be also accomplished by means of the perfbrated pipes 8 through which a flow of air is supplied. Preliminary to the starting of the operation, it is desirable to heat the roll and this is accomplished from the perforated gas pipes 9 with a shield 10 lying to the rear thereof. The body of glass for forming the sheet is poured into the pocket between the rolls 1 and 3, being held in at the sides by means of the triangular side plates 11 resting upon the periphery of the roll 1 and provided at their rear ends with the transverse shaft 12 carrying the rollers 12 for supporting such ends and holding them a ainst separation. The plates 11 are prefera .ly provided with a plurality of inwardly projecting spikes 13 (Figs. 1 and 5) which serve to hold back the body of glass at its side portions and prevent a too rapid movement between the rolls. When the pocket of glass is exhausted, the glass in con tact with the spikes and side plates pulls away so that little or.no cleaning of these members is required.

Power for rotating the rolls 1 and 3 is supplied from the motor 14, such motor oper ating to drive the tumbler shafts 15 and 16 through the intermediary of a clutch 17, and reducing and speed changing gearing in the casings 18 and 19. The tumbler shaft 15 is connected to a drive shaft 20 carrying the gear 21, and this gear 21 meshes with a large drive gear 22 bolted to the edge of the roll 1 at its periphery. The other tumbler shaft 16 is connected at its end to the shaft 23 which carries the sizing roll 3. This shaft is hollow and is water cooled by means of the connections 24, 24 communicating with swivels 25, 25 on the roll shaft. The ends of the roll are carried in the bearings 26, 26 having the caps 27, 27 and being slidably mounted in the housing 28, such housing being rigidlysupported with respect to the mounting of the casting roll 1. The bearing members 26, 26 are pressed yieldingly downwardby means of the springs 29, 29, whose tension may be ,adjusted from the screws 30, 30 extending through the brackets 31, 31 bolted to the housing.

In order to definitely space the sizing roll 3 with respect to the periphery of the casting roll 1, and thus maintain the thickness of the sheet uniform, regardless of any warping-of the roll 1, the rolls 32, 32 are preferably employed, such rolls being carried in brackets 33, 33 and bearing against the periphery of the casting roll, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. The brackets 33 are of L-form, as indicated in Fig. 1 and have upright legs 34 slidably mounted in the bearing members 26. These brackets 33 are adjusted by means of screws 35 (Fig. 3)

operation is started.

threaded through nuts secured in the upper ends of the legs 34 and having thrust bearings 36 held against upward movement by the end wall 37 of the bearing member 26, as indicated in Fig. 3. The screws are provided with worm wheels 38, and these worm wheels. are engaged by worms carried upon he transverse shaft 39, such shaft having an operating handle 40 at its end. By adjusting the brackets 33 up and. down, the space between the casting and sizing rolls may be adjusted to produce glass of any desired thickness, a downward movement ofthe brackets and their rolls serving to increase the space-between the sizing and casting rolls, whilea movement upward serves to decrease such space. In case the casting roll 1 becomes warped orbulged, the spacing means take care of this condition and still maintain the peripheries of the sizing and casting rolls at a uniform distance apart throughout the rotation of the casting roll, thus producing a glass sheet or ribbon which is of uniform thickness. In operating the apparatus, the pocket between the side plates 11, 11 is supplied with glass from a pot, the entire contents vof the pot being preferably supplied to the pocket before the rolling The casting and sizing rolls are then started and the ribbon or sheetof glass t is rolled out into the leer 5 until the contents of the pocket is exhausted, the glass as it leaves the rolls first passing over the water cooled platen-41 and then over the cooled rolls 42 in the leer. The sheet or ribbon is allowed to harden in the leer and becomes annealed in a gradually decreasing temperature as it passes there through, being cut up into sections of suitable length as it emerges from the end of the leer.

Fig. (3 shows a modified spacing means for fixing the distance between the casting roll 1 and sizing roll 3. This spacing means comprises the angle members 43, preferably made in sections, and bolted to the sizing rolls, as indicated. The thickness of the flanges on the members -13, 43 lying between the peripheries of the two rolls determines the thickness of the glass sheet produced. Different thicknesses of glass are taken care of by removing the members 13 and substituting others having flanges of ditl erent thicknesses. This arrangement may be modified by placing the spacing members 43, 43 upon the casting roll instead of upon the sizing roll, but this arrangement is not so desirable because of the greater size of the spacing members incident to the large diameter of the casting roll. The advantage of my construction will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the'liability of a roll of large size to warp and bulge being well known, and the arrangement to which the present invention is particularly directed serving to overcome this difficulty and make it possible to cast a sheet of uniform thickness, even though the casting roll departs appreciably in the course of time from its original accurate contour.

hat I claim is:

1. In apparatus for making sheet glass, a casting roll of large diameter mounted for rotation, a driven sizing roll'above the casting roll positioned so as to provide a pocket between the two rolls for receiving the moiten glass to be rolled, bearings in which the sizing roll is journaled mounted for movement toward the casting roll, spacing means mounted to move with said bearings in lixed relation thereto and contacting with the pcriphery ot the casting roll, and a nun way for receiving the glass sheet formed between the rolls.

2. In apparatus for making sheet glass, a. casting roll of large diameter mounted for rotation, a driven sizing roll above the easting roll positioned so as toprovide a pocket between the two rolls for receiving the molten glass to be rolled, bearings in which the sizing roll is journaled mounted for move ment toward the casting roll, spacing means mounted to move with said bearings in fixed relation thereto and contacting with the periphery of the casting roll, means foradjusting the position of said spacing means with respect to the bearings, and arunway for receiving the glass sheet formed between the rolls.

3. In apparatus for making sheet glass, a casting roll of large diameter mounted for rotation, a driven sizing roll above the casting roll positioned so as to provide a pocket between the two rolls for receiving the molten glass to be rolled, bearings in which the sizing roll is journaled mounted for move ment toward the casting roll, a spacing roll adjacent each bearing mounted to move therewith and contacting with the periphery of the casting roll adjacent its edges, and a runway for receiving the glass sheet formed between the rolls.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of March, 1926.

JOHN H. FOX. 

